Retort-vaporizer.



Patented June 7, 1904 PATENT OFFICE. l

ROBERT DEMPSTER, OF MARIETTA, OHIO.

RETORT-VAPOFHZER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,949, dated June 7, 1904-.. Application filed April 3, 1903. Serial No. 150,965. (No model.)

To LZZ whom, it 77cm/ concern:

Be it known that l, ROBERT Dnirirsrnr., a citizen of the United States, residing' at Marietta, in the county of -VVasliingto`n and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Retort-Vaporizer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in heaters or burners of that general class in which hydrocarbon is employed as a fuel.

rThe principal object of the invention is to provide a vapor or gas burner in which crude oils of various kinds may be employed as fuel without previous refining operations, the structure forming the subject of the present invention being capable of utilizing' the inferior qualities of oil and the heavier oils, such as' those having an asphalt base, without the accumulation of tar or other carbonaccous residue in the retorts and insuring practically perfect combustion. l

A further object of the invention is to construct a device of this character in which. a

plurality of chambers forming independent retorts or a retort-vaporizer are so arranged that each may heat the other and maintain the temperature of the retorts at the proper point for the formation of a tarless gas or vapor. I

` ing in the retort a fireproof material capable of absorbing the oil and finely dividing the eiland vapor, so that when such absorbent material is highly heated the heat will be trans-v mitted directly to all portions of the gas or liquid or viscous hydrocarbon, and thus by distillation carried over a very extensive area force the hydrocarbon to form a vapor; andl astill further object is to provide for the elimination of residue which resists the distilling operation by oxidation, a percentage of air being admitted to the Vretort for this purpose.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for the formation of a better quality of gas and increase the quantity ofl gas from a given quantity of oil by passing the gas or vapor formed in the primary retort through a superheater filled with a linely-divided material which is subjected to the action of heat, the heat being conducted directly tothe vapor during the travel of the latter through the superheater, resulting in the formation of a iixed gas, which may be consumed with greater economy than an unliXed vapor, such as is usually employed in burners and heating devices of this class.

A still further object of the invention is to so construct the apparatus as to prevent all danger of burning out of the retort where the latter is subjected to the direct action of liarne.

'W ith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a burner or heating device constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.v

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the device on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device, illustrating the arrangement of the nipples through which the heating-flames are directed. Fig. 5 is' a sectional perspective view illustrating the construction of the central or main vaporizingchamber., this ligure of the drawings also illustrating a slight modification of the arrange* ment of the heating-pipes and showing the construction of one form of guard or-shield which it is proposed to employ to prevent the burning out of the bottom of the retort. Fig. 6 is a` sectional plan'view illustrating a modified construction in which the retort is formed of a number of connected sections.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The deviceformingthe subject of the present invention is intended principally as a heater or burner to be used in the combustionchamber of steameboilers andthe like to take TOO the place of the usual coal fires, although it may be successfully employed in the manufacture of gas to be used for heating in any form, for lighting, or for power purposes, as in the operation of explosive-engines.

In carrying out the invention I form a box or casing 1 of cast-iron or similar metal, this casing being substantially rectangular in contour and divided into two, three, or more spaced chambers. In the present instance the drawings illustrate a construction in which a central chamber 2 is placed between two outer chambers 3, and, as will more fully appear hereinafter, the central chamber is utilized as a primary retort for` the formation of a vapor or gas, which is subsequently fixed in the superheaters 3. This portion of the invention is intended principally to economize in the use of fuel, as all three of the chambers are provided with upwardly-directed nipples 4 for the passage of gas to form a heatingflame, and in order to properlydistribute the heat Without employing a large quantity of oil a portion of the vapor or gas formed in the central chamber is reheated, expanded, and fixed in the outer chambers. This results in an approximately equal distribution of the heat, inasmuch as the effective results in heat units from the unfixed or partly fixed gas of the first chamber is not equal to the result in heat units of the fixed gas from the outer chambers. To accomplish an equivalent result in devices of somewhat similar nature, it is always considered necessary to introduce the oil into each one of the retorts, and this is not only objectionable from a standpoint of economy, but is further objectionable on account of the tendency of the retorts to accumulate tar and carbonaceous residue, which must be cleaned out from time to time, while the operation of the burner ceases. In actual practice I have found that the heat is evenly distributed when the superheating-retorts are used and that even with the use of the lowest grade of crude oil there is no accumulation whatever of tar or other carbonaceous residue.

The several chambers 2 and 8 are of approximately rectangular form in cross-section, and each is of substantially the same contents as the others. The end portions of the three chambers are in communication with each other, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, and it will be noted that in each of the chambers is a horizontally-disposed and centrally-located partition 6, dividing each of the chambers into an upper and lower compartment. rlhe partition of the central chamber stops short of the ends of said chamber to form passages for the fiow of a gas or vapor from the lower compartment to the upper, and the similar partitions of the outer chambers extend from end to end thereof, being provided at one or more points with opening 7 for the passage of the vapor from the lower to the upper compartments. The vapor made in the lower compartment of the central chainber passes up vard to the upper compartment of said chamber, and portions of the vapor pass out through suitable nipples or nozzles 4. The remaining portion of the vapor passes through suitable inclined passages lll to they lower compartments or side chambers or sections and after passing through the same is led upward through the openings 7 in the partitions of the outer chambers into the upper compartments, being thence distributed to the nipples 4, carried by said outer chambers. The opposite ends of each of the chambers are provided with threaded openings for the reception of removable plugs 1G, and access may be had to the interior of the compartments through these openings in order to renew the supply of asbestos or similar material with which the compartments are iilled. The plugs 16 of the lower compartment of the central chamber are provided with openings for the passage of pipes 1H and 19, facing each other, one of said pipes serving for the admittance of air under pressure, while the other admits mingled air and hydrocarbon, also under pressure. These pipes are surrounded by a perforated tube 20, the opposite ends of which are supported by the plugs 16, and surrounding the perforated tube is a packing of asbestos or finely-divided material of equivalentnature, and all of the compartments are filled with this material, as shown in Fig. 2. The air and oil thus introduced in to the opposite ends of the perforated tube meet and mingle at the center ol the tube in the form of a heated vapor or mist and in this condition are subjected to the action ol the heat,the operation being carried on quickly and effectively, so that there is little probability of the oil collecting in any large quantities and forming a tarry deposit. Should any of the hydrocarbon retain its liquid l'orm or should there be any viscous carbomiceous material in the oil, it will be forced through the perforations of the tube and be caught up by the asbestos, being finally divided by the passage of the gas-currents, and a proportion o l the air mingling with and carrying oilI some of the hydrocarbon in the form of vapor or gas, the remaining portion being subjected to the action of the intense heat is distilled and passes off as a gas or vapor. In some cases the remaining portion will be subjected to an oxidizing process by the air-currents entering through the tube 18. ',lhe gas or vapor made in the central retort passes through the end connecting-channels to the snperhwiters 5l, which contain asbestos only, and the gas or vapor after passing through these chambers emerges in the form of a lixed gas which may be utilized for either lighting or heating. ln

the present instance it is designed to utilize all of the gas or vapor manuiaetmred in the device for heating purposes, the burner or a number of such burners being` placed in the lOO llO

fire-box of a boiler or furnace of any charactcr and the nipples or nozzles I directing jetsk ofl gas over an extensive area. To provide for the heating of the retorts to the proper temperature without the use of heating devices, I provide the lower portionA of each chamber with outwardly-directed nozzles or nipples 25, these being arranged on the vertical walls of the chambers and in staggered relation, so that the jets of gas will be directed from the sides of the central vchamber 2 against th e sides of the outer chambers 3, while the'latter will direct similar jets against the sides of the chamber 2 and at the opposite ends, and communicating with the passages between the chambers are nipples or nozzles 23, from which are directed jets extending longitudinally of the several chambers. The flame from these is suiiicient to maintain the retorts at the requisite temperature, this being generally cherry red.

It will be observed that the tubes 18 and 19 extend within the retorts for a considerable distance, so that the air and oilbecomeheated before being discharged and are thus in a condition most favorable for uniting or forming a vapor. The initial heating process, which takes place while the vapors are still in the retort, is not in all cases suiiicientto form a fixed gas, and the jets which issue from the nipples 4 at the top of the central chamber are inferior in heating qualities to that issuing from the corresponding nipples on the side chambers; but where the deficiency in heat units occurs the larger quantity of gas or vapor is used, so that the distribution is found to be uniform.

Witha device of this character I have found it possible to run the burners continuously for an indeterminate period of time, it being unnecessary to stop the operation at any time for the removal of any tarry or carbonaceous deposits, The pipes through which the air and oil are admitted are provided with suitable needle-valves of any desired construction,

either or both of which may be turned in order to change the character of the heating' flame by varying the proportions of the air and oil, and the burner is at all times thoroughly under control, so that in a steamboiler a fluid-pressure may be constantly maintained without severe labor andattention necessary where coal and similar fuels are employed for heating purposes.

Devices of this class, which are subjected to a light temperature for a considerable period of time, often burn out and necessitate shutting down of the plant until a new burner can besupplied. This is particularly true of that portion. of the retort against which the flames impinge; but to lengthen the life of the device I preferably employ a shield 30, which may be in the form of plates having suitable openings for the passage of the nipples 25 and serving to guard the sides of the retort against .the side walls of the retort.

the direct impact of the flame. These plates may be held in Aplace by small cross-bars 3l -made as to protect the bottom portions of the retorts where heatingjets are directed upwardly against the lower portions of the retort. guard, as indicated at 30' in Fig. 5, the side flanges of the channel having suitable slots 32 to receive pins or lugs 33, projecting from This slotted connection permits of the ready removal of a burned guard and the substitution of a new one when necessary.

One of the principal advantages resulting from the employment of auxiliary superheat- Vers is that in such cases it is not necessary to remove the absorbent or similar material through which the gas is passed for the fixing process, this material retaining its normal condition for a considerable period of time, and

In such cases I employ a channeled in practice it is found unnecessary to renew Y the supply for months at a time.

Having thus described the invention, what isA claimed isl. In a device of the class specified, the combination with a primary-retort chamber, of means for introducing hydrocarbon and air thereinto, a separate superheating-chamber having a filling of asbestos or finely-divided material, said superheating -chamber being connected to the primary retort, and nipples or nozzles carried by each chamber for directing heating-jets toward the other chamber.

2. In a device of the class specified, the combination with a plurality of chambers arranged side by side and spaced from each other, one of the chambers constituting a primary retort and the others forming superheaters in communication with the retort, fuel-supply pipes leading to the retort, nipples for directing gas-jets against the object to be heated, and auxiliary nipples arranged in the sides of the several chambers for directing heating-jets against the other chambers so that alll of said chambers will serve to mutually heat each other.

3. In a device of the class specified, the combination with a centrally-disliosed retort,of' superheaters disposed one on each side of the retort and in communication therewith, horizontally-disposed partitions dividing each of the IOO IIO

chambers into upper and lower compartments, l

means for introducinghydrocarbon to the central retort, and a filling of finely-divided material arranged in both the retort and the superheating-chambers.

4. In adevice of the class specified, a substantially rectangular burner comprising a plurality of spaced chambers of which the central forms a primary vaporizer and the outer` form superheaters, there being communicating channels or passages leading from the primary vaporizer to the superheaters, means for introducing hydrocarbon into the retort, a filling of asbestos disposed in the retort and in the superheaters, and a plurality of discharge-openings leading from all of the chambers, a portion of these directing jets against adjacent retorts and the others directing jets against the device to be heated.

5. 1n a device of the class specified, a primary vaporizer having a central partition dividing the same into upper and lower compartments, a perforated tube arranged in the lower compartment and surrounded by an asbestos lilling, air and oil pipes leading into the tube at opposite ends thereof, a lillingotf asbestos disposed in the upper compartment and serving as a straining and heat-dislrilnlting agent Vlor the f'apor generated in the lower compartment, snperheating-chaxnl)ers disposed on each side of the retort and each divided into upper and lower conn artments, and channels or passages leading l'rom the npper compartmentol the vaporizer to the lower compartments ole the snperheaters.

ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto aliixed my signature in the pr asence of two witnesses.

ROBERT DICM IS'l Eli.

`Witnesses:

J. Ross CoLiioUN, JNo. E. lAmnn. 

